Grinding down catch cup

[FatJanky]

I know I've seen it many times here on the forum, but does anyone have a link to a tutorial for grinding down the catch cup? I'm a visual person and would like to see the steps before I actually tackle the job.
Thanks in Advance!

 

[tmel]

I haven't heard of anyone doing it themselves, but I imagine a steady hand is step 1.

 

[Filthy-Beast]

IIRC it was Super or Turbo that did it on a belt sander

 

[Papa_Lazarou]

Ay carumba, kudos to you if you've got the jam to do this.

I'm all eyes waiting to see the procedure and results

 

[oplholik]

I've heard of doing it with a file, but so far I haven't had the guts to try it.

 

[supertrunker]

I just rammed my black grand into the rotary sanding disk part of a belt sander.

I set it up dead square first and went slowly. To finish it off, i turned the reo over on all 4 sides to make sure they were all even. It took about 30 mins all told.

Here it is on the left.

T

ETA - i marked the 510 with a black market pen - if you hit that - it's time to stop!! You want to be a little higher than the 510, so atties sit flush, without having to ratchet them down which will damage your Reo in any event.

 

[Crash Moses]

I just used a 1/16 drill bit on a Dremel. Once I got close I used a file to smooth it out and then sanded it for the finish.

This is right after I finished filing...



and here's after the polish...

 

[Ian444]

I just rammed my black grand into the rotary sanding disk part of a belt sander.

You have such a way with words ST!

 

[CaptSteve]

I would say (without having done this yet) that the easiest way to do this is a belt sander and pretty thick sand paper. The trick would be to ensure you're sanding square. The Reo is aluminum so it should be easy work being a soft metal. To finish it off a good polish and you're in business.
I would also put a piece of gum or block the 510 so not to get metal shavings/dust in there while I'm doing this

Good luck and let us see the results

 

[FACE MEAT]

...or you could have Rob do it for you. Just saying.

 

[Dconnor]

I did a TRA Grand I bought on the classifieds. I used a grinding wheel for the rough work, and sanded to finish. Sorry no video. I was certainly nervous but it is surprisingly easy.

Mark your depth and keep it square. I tried to do a small amount at a time as I did not want it to get too hot and melt the insulator in the 510 connection. Used a little water to keep it cool and worked fine.

I did ruin a button cover by accidentally hitting the grinding wheel. If you have one I would advise you to remove beforehand.

 

[Ian444]

I would say (without having done this yet) that the easiest way to do this is a belt sander and pretty thick sand paper. The trick would be to ensure you're sanding square. The Reo is aluminum so it should be easy work being a soft metal. To finish it off a good polish and you're in business.
I would also put a piece of gum or block the 510 so not to get metal shavings/dust in there while I'm doing this

That's very close to how I did a Mini 2.1, I used a belt sander and finished off with a file. Remove the button, put masking tape on the top of the mod to avoid any minor scuffs, and put a circle of masking tape inside the 510. It is difficult to hold the mod exactly square on a belt sander, so finishing with a file helps to get it square, a little bit at a time.

 

[yellowxboy]

Man... All this talk about giving the reo a haircut makes me wanna send mine out to get it done *tear

Haha

 

[Raynman]

I had a friend do it at work on a mill. No pix to show of it, but when it's done I will have pix of before, after milling, after paint removed and finally polished.

 

[pwheeler]

My old grand I'd like to do this. I only have one standard rm2, but have several attys above 14mm. I might give it a try, very slowly. I sure don't want to ruin it. I was going to wait until I bought #3, so I would still have 2 Reos and send this one in. I might still do that because I have other things I want done, too.

 

[supertrunker]

At the risk of stating the obvious you have to try really hard to ruin a Grand! I've not managed it yet.

I'd have sent mine to Rob to do, but i had some free time at work and i'm impatient and impulsive. A week without my favourite Reo called for desperate measures.

T

 

[pwheeler]

Well, besides wanting it milled down, It's one that I can't use any other doors on because the magnets are reversed from all newer grands. I could probably do the grinding down the catch cup ok, I just don't know how I'd get all 4 magnets out and replace them to be like any other grand and can swap doors.

 

[supertrunker]

acetone and a soldering iron!

The point being that unless you send ALL the mods to Rob - he'll have no idea how the other magnets are arranged either!

T

 

[pwheeler]

acetone and a soldering iron!

The point being that unless you send ALL the mods to Rob - he'll have no idea how the other magnets are arranged either!

T

I'll have to give that one a try. As for not knowing about the magnet arrangement, Rob told me that they are all standardized now. Back when mine was made, they were just put in there without any consideration of people switching out doors. I mean, it's an old one. It still has the little teeny allen screw for the spring. It's all the same one, the grinding down the cup, the magnet changeout. I might just give it a try. I have some acetone at the shop. See what I can do. Need to order up some magnets first.

 

[LarryPer]

What does Rob charge to mill?
And will he re paint the top of it?
Thanks